Abstract

Graded-refractive-index-rod lenses (GRIN-rod lenses) have a number of features that make them particularly suitable for use in optical devices for manipulating and processing the optical signals in fiber communication systems. Such lenses can be cemented directly to the other elements of a device, thus giving a structure that is compact, solid, stable, and rugged. They also have significantly smaller aberrations than equivalent simple homogeneous lenses, and this results in lower insertion losses. Designs for various GRIN-rod lens devices, including connectors, attenuators, directional couplers, switches, isolators and wavelength-division multiplexers are reviewed. A consistent set of loss estimates is provided for all the device designs considered.

A. counterexample to this statement is provided by the access port, devised by R. E. Wagner [see Digest of Topical Meeting on Optical Fiber Communication (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C., 1979), p. 80], in which facets are polished on the fiber ends so that the fibers fit together. The access port can be used as a directional coupler or an attenuator, but it does not provide any collimation and is thus not suitable for use with angularly sensitive elements.

An abbreviated version of this paper may be found in Digest of the Topical Meeting on Gradient Index Optical Imaging Systems (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C., 1979), paper WC6.

A. counterexample to this statement is provided by the access port, devised by R. E. Wagner [see Digest of Topical Meeting on Optical Fiber Communication (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C., 1979), p. 80], in which facets are polished on the fiber ends so that the fibers fit together. The access port can be used as a directional coupler or an attenuator, but it does not provide any collimation and is thus not suitable for use with angularly sensitive elements.

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